Halo
by Hema Grace
Summary: Ava has a perfect life. Suddenly when a crazed killer enters her life it falls to pieces. Will she survive?
1. Chapter 1

His fingers trace lightly up my leg. I lie ever so still, my fingers enter twined in the long pieces of grass. My body, without permission from my brain, lets out a hysterical giggle to show my enjoyment.

Zach looks up at me smiling. His hazel eyes seem to be staring right into my very soul, his blond curly hair swayed in the wind and he seemed perfect. I edge closer to him brushing my lips against his. I don't know how long we stay like this for but after what seems like hours he pulls away from me when his phone rings.

"Ava" his eyes dart around the meadow. "Um… you should really go, it's getting late to be sitting in the middle of the woods." My heart sinks. It's only five o'clock in the afternoon.

"Zach it's early, I am fourteen." I lean in for another kiss but am firmly pushed away and fall onto the ground causing a whimper to escape my mouth. I slowly look up hoping I haven't made him to upset – he looks like his about to cry. "Don't worry Zach it was an accident, I am so uncoordinated." I try to laugh but instead Zach lifts my hand and touches the back of my head with it. As I bring my hand around to my face I am shocked to see blood running on my fingers.

"Zach its fine I -" I am cut off by the sound of twigs crunching. I look at Zach; he is still standing dead still. I figure it is a fox or some sort of creature.

"Ava, please go home. I will call you tomorrow, promise." He smiles and I immediately reflect his smile off my own face. I am about to leave when Zach starts muttering. "Er… um…Ava…I…love you." This is a very strong statement from a year eight boy so I freeze.

'Zach…I…love you too." We both stand there happily and end up kissing. This is the first time someone out of my family has said this to me and I am over the moon. Another twig crunches and Zach makes me leave – I am way too blitzed out to argue.

I waltzed in the door of my house so happy I nearly trip over the door mat. My parents, who look like Barbie and Ken, stand in the kitchen cooking dinner whilst my little sister Emma sits at the table playing on her Nintendo DS.

Most of the people that know us describe our family as perfect. We share secrets, we talk, know one argues and we all love each other.

"Hi Sweetie" shrieks Mum. "How was your date?" Honestly I don't know who was more excited me or her? All I can do is giggle and my mother replies with the same high pitched sound.

My family and I sit down at the dinner table and begin talking about our day. Emma used undies for the first time, Mum ran into her old year nine boyfriend and Dad went to the hardware shop.

Just as I am about to finish my amazing Zach story, yes I tell my family about dates, the phone rings. Mum stands and goes to get it.

Suddenly her face seems to age one hundred years. Her lips quiver. Tears roll down her face and she mutters something into the phone and hangs up.

"Ava" she croaks.

"Mum what's wrong?" I am really worried.

"Zach is dead"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

I stand on the bathroom scales. I weigh twenty kilograms and I used to weigh forty-five. My Mother is calling me, today is my first day back at school since... the shooting and murderhappened. My family made me eat breakfast and it is most certainly about to make a reappearance.

As I expected. The whole school is waiting at the gates to question me. The only person I remotely want to see is Gale.

Gale and I have been best friends for ever. He is tall with green eyes, tanned skin and light brown hair. Gale was extremely popular so I still puzzle on why he is friends with me. The instant I stepped out of the car Gale wrapped his arms around me and squeezed my bum!

Immediately I flew out of his arms frightened. Gale looked as if nothing had happen-maybe it was just a mistake? Gale was my friend, nothing else. I was spooked so I backed away and ran through the crowd to class.

It's lunch. I have been trying to avoid Gale all day so I find a seat at the edge of the court yard. I packed myself tuna so that no one in their right mind would want to sit next to me. My plan works for all of twenty seconds when I see figure standing behind me.

As I turn around I feel dread well up inside me. It's Annabel McCartney. Annabel and her posy of three are the most popular girls in year eight which also means they are pains. On top of this Annabel is Zach's ex girl friend.

"What's the matter Ava? Your boyfriend shot himself? Maybe Ava, he shot himself so he could get as far away as possible from you?" sneers Annabel. Her posy laughs their awfully fake laugh and I sob. I am to emotionally weak not to.

"Maybe girls we should take little Ava to the girl's toilets and give her a makeover!" suggest Annabel. The girls drag me through the bushes till we reach the girls toilets.

Once in the toilets they lock the door and through me onto the ground. Annabel continues to taunt me whilst the others strip me down to me underwear. Next the wash my hair with toilet water and other substances…

After that I am pretty confused as to what happens next and black out.

Ahhh! My head hurts! Somebody is whipping the hair out of my face. Could it be Annabel? The school nurse? No, Annabel is not that affectionate and the school nurse would have moved me by now.

I slowly opened my eyes. It's Zach.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

What? I lay there startled by the presence of my dead boyfriend. "Zzzz...ach?" Surely I was knocked out or dreaming but I sure wasn't waking up. Zach stood there every so quietly just watching me still trying to pull the hair out of my face but I was convulsing. This couldn't be happening...it couldn't?

"Ava, Ava you have to calm down, stop please stop!" panickes Zach. Breathe, just breathe it tell my self. After a few minutes of having a hissy fit on the bathroom floor I started to calm down a little bit.

"Zach, your dead." I know that was not the best thing to say but it was the first thing that came to mind. "I know." He replied in his usual relaxed voice. If he new than why the hell was he stroking my hair!

"Zach your dead." Oh my god. Am I a broken record or what! The look on his face told me he wasn't keen on me repeating that he was dead. "Why are you here? Your dead." Well at least it was a start. I could talk. Zach held me to try stop me shivering. Something felt different about him, he wasn't human but more fairy like.

"Are you a vampire?" I ask.

"No"

"Angel?"

"No"

"Fairy god mother?"

"No"

"Then what on Earth are you? Are you going to eat me?"

"No! I am..well you won't believe me."

"TELL ME!"

"Fine but when you tell me I am mad I will be annoyed" threatens Zach.

"Shut your big talk and tell me-I am curious as to why the spirit of my dead boyfriend is sitting here with me." I condfindently say.

"Okay. First of all I was shot to the head by ...somebody... in the forest that day we were together. You probably don't believe my on this but heaven and hell do exist. I was lifted to the gates of heaven where most would be allowe to rest in peace but I was summoned to Lord Berggren's office."

"Lord who?"

"Lord Berggren is the Queen of the world and controls everyone and everything. Anyway Lord Berggren explained to me some details about my death. She told me about the different magical beings that help her care of humans. She was telling me what I was to become, I still had to fix something back on Earth."

"What are you?" I really should stop disturbing him.

"I am a Halo."

"A what?"

"A Halo. They are humans that have died with unfinished business back on Earth. Lord Berggren sends them back to do what ever they have to do. The only thing is they are only allowed to be seen by the person they must protect."

"Protect?" I don't know why Zach is here then.

"Yes Ava, protect."

"Then why am I allowed to see you?" I question.

"Because Ava, the person that killed me is going to kill you."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

"WHAT?" Great I am starting to tremble again. I can't seem to digest the concept. Someone is trying to kill me.

"Ava it's okay! I am here." Sooths Zach. I am sitting in his lap and he is rocking me back and forth. Talk about an emotional rollercoaster. "Zach, who is it?" I manage to choke out. Great here come back the tears. "I don't know Ava" he replies.

"What do you mean you don't know?" I scream.

"Lord Berggren wouldn't tell me and I didn't see who killed me!"

"WHY ON EARTH WOULD SHE NOT TELL YOU?"

"I am sorry Ava, I don't know. All she said was that the person has similar motives."

I am scared, angry, shocked, feeling sick and smell like a toilet – what a great mix?

"Ava I want to take you away. Please call your family and make up a lie about while you won't be at home for the next week, please!" Begs Zach, I do as I am told.

Thankfully Zach allowed me to stop home quickly to pack some clothes and tell my family I was going camping with a friend. By the time I had reached the front door Zach was waiting in a stolen Mercedes that was parked in my drive way.

"Nice" as say as I get in.

"Thanks, we are going to my family's old beach house. It's about a three hour drive but know one lives up there and we can be alone."

"Sounds great!" The thought of a whole week alone with Zach made me giggle. We had only kissed once when he was alive yet alone do other stuff…

After a three hour drive of talking, playing games and changing into some more appropriate clothes we pulled up to the cabin where we were staying. The little house looked over an amazing lake.

This cabin itself contained one double bed, a kitchen and a bathroom. I was pretty romantic seeing as I was running away with my dead boyfriend, trying to escape a killer. Once Zach brought all the things inside we had a dinner of chicken sandwiches and coke.

"Zach how long will you be able to…stay?" I question.

"A couple of weeks." He answers.

"Can you do everything you could when you were human?"

"Basically. Why?"

"Because I had an idea." At this moment in time I stood up and casually pushed him onto the bed.

"What are you going to do to me?" He giggled.

"I don't know." I say whilst getting under the covers with him.

"I do" he answers whilst removing my cloths.

I woke up blitzed out beyond belief. It's 5:00AM and I have the munchies though it appears Zach does too.

We both sit at the table eating the left over sandwiches. Last night was amazing! I am sad Zach will leave me again soon because we won't be able to see each other and I will have to wait to heaven to see him – regarding that I get into heaven after last night…

Anyway-I sit munching away on my sandwich. Today Zach and I will probably end up going swimming in the lake but I don't that either of us brought bathers…

'_SMASH' _a rock flies into our window breaking the glass. I hear tyres screech back down the driveway. Zach hurriedly stands up. Suddenly his face drops as he reads a piece of paper that was tied around the stone. He passes it to me.

Neatly written across it are two words.

'_You're dead.'_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

I stand here. Frozen. I am dead, according to a crazed killer anyway. Zach looks up at me. His beautiful face filled with distress.

My legs give way. As I collapse to the ground in a heap. My whole life I have never cried-what a great time to open the flood gates?

Zach hovers me pulling hair out of my face and splashing water on me. I lay on the ground panting I start to drift into sleep.

'_You're dead, you're dead, you're dead, and you're dead!_

I sit up on my bed. The voices still echoing in my head from my dream. Zach lies beside me reading a book. From the Sun outside I predict its noon.

"Hey sleepyhead!" says Zach in a strangely cheery voice.

"Hey, was it a dream?'

"No."

"What happens now?"

"We leave late tonight and just drive."

"I see."

I lean over to kiss him but I have the urge to puke and run into the toilets.

Something is wrong with me. I have been vomiting all morning, can't eat anything and feel-off.

I lay on the bed with the fans on around me because it is really hot. Zach went through my school bag and got out my lap top. He is typing in my symptoms into a online doctor.

'Gastro?" He asks.

"Nope." I reply for what seems to be the millionth time. Zach face turns pale (yes, more pale than it already is.) All of a sudden I know what I have got to.

I am pregnant.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

"Holy shit!" I burst out. Ohh no here comes the trembling. Is it possible? Am I really caring the child of my dead boyfriend? Zach is concerned because the look on his face is daunting. He is thinking about something obviously very important…

"I got it!" He yells. After this he leaps off the bed and hurries to the bathroom cabinet. While he busies himself looking through cupboards I begin to thing to myself. Seriously? I do it once and I get knocked up. He is dead for crying out loud. Plus I even took a pill and used the other stuff. Surely it can't be real. Do Halo's have super 'get your girlfriend pregnant powers?' If so…there is nothing I can do really?

"YES!" I hear Zach shriek from the bathroom. He comes zooming out waving a stick in my face.

"What, what is it Zach?" I say.

"I found a pregnancy test!" He says happily.

"And?"

"Go pee on it you fool" he says whilst throwing a stick in my face.

"Fine!" I say in my grumpiest voice and trod of tho the loo. Zach follows me silently.

As I pull my pants down I notice him hovering in the doorway. "Get out Zach!"

"Why?"

"Because I am peeing!"

"So?"

"Well I never let you see me pee when you were alive and it's too much pressure!"

"After last night-I have seen everything!" He responds giggling.

"Real mature loser." I lift the stick and throw it to Zach who catches it and stare at it intently whilst I burst out into hysterical giggles.

"What?" Zach asks laughing. "You know this could be this most important day of our lives!"

"I know! I am laughing because you're holding something that I JUST peed on." More giggles.

Zach throws the stick to the ground and start frantically washing his hands. I run over to the stick with my undies still on the ground. We both look down as it shows '_positive'_

After eating more food Zach and I go skinny dipping. The afternoon is hot and the murky lake seems like the perfect place to be.

Zach immediately starts swimming towards the centre of the lake and I slowly follow behind. This is the most wonderful day… a hand crabs my ankle. I look down to see a human figure. I start screaming and the person pulls my deeper.

_._


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Water rushes down my throat. The hand keeps a firm grip on me. Zach sees me and thrashes through the water swimming violently. Suddenly he stops. The person who seems to be trying to kill me can't see Zach otherwise Zach goes to hell. He swims out of the lake and runs back into the house to get a knife. Does he know I will be dead by then?

The figure starts to rise. It is defiantly a man. I shut my eyes not wanting to see my killer.

"Ava?" The voice is familiar and I can't help but open my eyes.

"GALE? What the hell are you doing here and why are you trying to kill me you bloody freak?" I respond. I can see Zach standing in the door way holding a knife ready to kill Gale at one move.

"I am sorry Ava I..."Gale starts.

"What is wrong with you? First on Friday you felt me up then you follow me to a lake and try to drown a pregnant woman!" Shit! I forgot I was not supposed to say that!

"YOU'RE PREGNANT!" Gale screams. "Who, when, why. How-well I short of know how..."

"None of your business! Get lost you idiot or I will call the police." I say trying to paddle out of the water.

"Wait! Your Mum wanted me to follow you up here because she wanted to know how long you will be." Gale yells.

"Probably a week Gale."

"Okay then I will go!"

"Fine, leave jerk!"

I clamber out of the water and start pacing towards the house. Gale is running behind me. This time I can see that he is wearing navy blue swimming trunks and no top. "Ava just one more thing..."Gale says whilst standing next to me.

"WHAT?" I say in my angriest voice. Gale pushes onto the ground and jumps on top of me. He continues by licking my ear to my chin. Ever so silently he whispers "_You're dead_."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

"Get off me!" I struggle to choke out.

"Why baby, what's the matter?" Gale laughs and leans down to kiss me. Zach can't do anything and seems to be climbing a tree to get a better view.

"Off you sicko!" I scream.

"Don't worry Ava this won't hurt a bit." Gale says whilst pulling out a huge knife from his pocket.

"Why Gale? Why are you going to kill me?" I whisper.

"I love you."

"Huh! No you don't!"

"Yes I do." He says whilst leaning in to kiss me. I don't know how to describe Gale's forced kiss as to Zach's genuine loving kiss...

"I hate you!" I gargle out.

"Bye Ava!" He says whilst raising the knife to my head. "This will only hurt- a lot." He chuckles. Gale begins to slice holes in my bathers then gently and slowly slits my wrist. Once I am feeling pretty woozy from losing blood in my arms Gale starts pulling out my nails. He pulls out one and looks at me and says "maybe we should do this bit last..." and he gets back to work.

Wickedly he cuts my hair in an unfashionable style then makes hole in my legs. Then I think he begins to remember the baby. My poor baby. He or she probably thinks they are going to come in this world with a Mummy and Daddy who are thirty not fourteen. Both of its parents are alive and human not Halos. Plus neither of them are being hunted by killers...

Gale raises his knife over my stomach. He begins to lung the knife at me when a bullet hits him and he stops. Gale looks up at Zach sitting up at a tree. Gale doesn't seem worried that Zach isn't human. Probably because he isn't either.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

The bullets were rebounding off Gale's back in an unhuman fashion. Suddenly Gale's eyes turned red and black wings grew out of his back. His nails started to grow out and turn black.

"DEMON!" Zach shouted. Was it true? Are demons real as well? Gale put one long nail and placed it on my swollen stomach and chuckled. Strangely enough Zach grew white wings and lunged of the tree. He wrapped his arms around Gale and pulled him off me.

Zach is eyes now shine a brilliant blue and a golden ring has formed around his head-normal. "Never touch her again you ugly demon!" Zach yells at Gale whilst they roll along the beach strangling each other.

"Lord Nette sent me here you goody two shoes Halo." Gale replies. How does Gale know about Halos? Then and again how does Gale grow wings?

"Lord who?" I yell to confused not to shut up.

"Lord Nette is the Queen of Hell." Gale replies whilst Zach punches him. I edge back to the cabin. "Stupid Halo! Why don't you just run back to Lord Berggren and have a sob baby!" Gale yells once he sticks his nails into Zach's leg.

'Wait!" I tremble; both of the creatures stop fighting and look at me. "You're both dead! Gale went to hell and Zach went to heaven. Zach came back to protect me from Gale…Gale why do you want to kill me?" I ask.

"Ava…honey, I love you. I want you to come back to hell to rule along side me as Queen of Hell." Gale replies sweetly.

"I don't love you, I love Zach. Gale get it through you demon head! I am having his baby for crying out loud!" I say. At this moment in time Zach manages to through Gale off him and run over to me. I pass him the knife and he throws it at Gale. Only this time the knife is glowing and so is Zach. It spears Gale's leg and he cries out in pain. Some how in a second I am in the car. Zach speeds down the drive way but I can see Gale running…flying behind us.

Of course this is the perfect time for me to start hyperventilating. "Breath Ava it's going to be okay." Zach sooths.

"No it's not! There is a demon chasing me…plus we haven't even got to…"I begin. All of a sudden I hear a loud bang a feel a sharp pain in my chest.

I start coughing blood up because I have just been shot.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Red. All I can see is red. Maybe it is because a second bullet is now lodged in the back of my head and my eyes are covered in blood. I should be screaming or crying but a simple message passes through my mind:

_Love is good,_

_Love is kind,_

_Love will make you blow your mind._

_I have been through hell,_

_Yet at the same time heaven,_

_So please leave this love in my possession. _

_~Hema Grace_ ~

I had to resite this poem in front of my whole class but had not understood the message at the time. Now it makes sense, Hema Grace had been chased by a demon across an abandoned highway.

Zach leans over and touches me forehead. Suddenly I no longer see red but my loving dead boyfriend smiling. "What the hell did you just do?" I ask.

"Magic Halo trade secrets..."he smirks.

"Normal…"I begin. "Zach lookout!" I scream. About twenty metres ahead of us two strange looking women wrestle across the road.

"Lord Berggren and Lord Nette!" Zach yells.

"You mean that the Queen of Hell and the Queen of Heaven are on the road ahead wrestling over whether I have to go to hell or not? Are you on drugs?" I question. By this time Zach is out of the car trying to pry the two women off each other.

I race out of the car, probably not my best idea. Zach, Gale, Lord Berggren and Lord Nette argue. For the first time I take a good look at the Lords.

Lord Berggren is tall and slender. Light brown hair falls to her hips in neat ringlets. She had gold; yes I said gold, eyes and stunning red lips. The lord wears a long white dress with yellow slippers. She turns her head and I also notice her beautiful tanned skin, the way she walks is unbelievably graceful. I cannot seem to take my eyes off her but do when I hear a growl.

Lord Nette is a short, skinny person. Short tangled blond hair flies around her head in the wind. Red eyes stare at me and she extends a pale hand. Lord Nette wears a torn black dress and long boots. The site of her frightens me.

"My child…you must come with me. In hell you shall be Queen." Lord Nette says in a harsh voice.

"Do not do it Ava. She will kill you…if you are lucky." Lord Berggren whispers in a kind voice. "Ava come to heaven with myself and Zach. We must wait their till these ghastly creatures return to hell." Lord Berggren urgers.

"I…I" I stutter.

"ENOUGH! You are coming with me you ugly menace!" Lord Nette screams.

Gale grabs me around the neck and myself, Gale and Lord Nette sink into hell.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Hell…or a strip club? Honestly I cannot tell the difference. Gale grabs a hold of my neck and uses me as a human barricade to get through the ghastly crowd.

We walk into to a filthy room where, with inhuman power, Gale throughs me onto the bed and laughs. "You and your stupid Halo really thought you could trick Lord Nette and me? No wonder the idiot you call your boyfriend is dead…and you soon will be." Gale chuckles wickedly,

I know I should be trying to escape out of hell but a thought rushes to my lips to soon for my brain to give the okay to speak.

"How on Earth is this hell?" I question. Gale stops.

"Foolish aren't you? Those people out there…they are put on a lot of restrictions." He answers.

"Like what?"

"They cannot touch another person with out being electrocuted. Those women are forced to serve to dance all day and night and the only break they get is when they come to serve me. These people live of roar animal flesh and can only drink their own urine."

"But I saw a guy drinking beer out there…GROSS!"I yell, gagging.

"Hey Babe what's up?" says a very drunk, Lord Nette as she walks in the room and collapses into Gale's arms.

"A beautiful Queen just walked in the room." Gale replies in a familiar, charming way.

Lord Nette giggles and leans up to kiss Gale but notices that I am here. "What are you doing here you little piece of…" Before I can reply Gale lifts ups his hand and I am frozen.

"Very clever my handsome! Your magic is getting stronger…" Lord Nette replies.

It is at this moment I really wish I could shut my eyes. Gale and the Lord start groping wildly and rolling on the bed. Once upon a time Gale had to take a shower at my house and I accidentally walked in on him-even that could not have prepared me for this!

After a little while of watching Gale and Lord Nette toss and turn on the bed Lord Nette sits up, fully cloth less by the way…

"Gale can you remove her it is starting to bother me. As much as I love watching people suffer this is…well…weird." Lord Nette says.

"Okay Honey." Gale says as he stands up. "Bye Ava" he sneers as he brings a knife up to my throat.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

I am dead...just kidding...but too close for comfort. "Do it Gale honey...come back to me." Lord Nette urges. Suddenly I am very conscious of the fact Lord Nette seems to be shift shaping. Her skin becomes more human like and soft, her previous stubby legs are now long and slim, red eyes change to blue and her messy hair is long and a light blonde. I am not gay but even I would have killed me and jumped back on her by now!

It all most is exactly like

"Ur..."Gale's hand starts shaking. "I...can't."

"YOU WHAT?" Both Lord Nette and I shout.

"I love her." Gale whispers.

"You said your feelings for her were over and you loved me..."Lord Nette says in a hurt, quiet voice making her sound weak and venerable. Lord Nette is now frantic and hyperventilating on the bed.

"Gale doesn't love me. Gale loves Ava Monica-Bridget Jones." She whispers over and over.

"How do you know my middle name?" I question.

"Because before I went up to Earth I did my homework." A wicked smile wipes across her face. "Not only this, but I planted some booby traps in your ugly little house..."

Anger serges through me. "If my house is ugly you are a fine piece of dog turd! The only booby traps here that could kill someone are those large, obviously fact things hanging off your chest!" I yell. I would feel better...if Lord Nette was not looking at me like that...

"You fat little piece of ****! How dare you address me like that?" Lord Nette charges at me. Gale wacks her in the side of the head, knocking her out unconscious. "Okay that buys us a little time." Gale says.

"To do what?" I ask. Gale gets down on one knee.

"To marry me." He replies.


End file.
